Summer Romance #wattys2017

Chapter XXXIX

 Sunday was no different. Shelby spent the day in the treehouse just sitting there crying. She sat there hoping a certain someone would come looking for her. The first few hours, no one did.

When someone finally did come looking for her, it was only to let her know lunch was ready. John had come out to find her. He saw that she was crying and left without saying anything more.

She skipped lunch. She stayed there until dinner time. She climbed down the ladder and walked right passed John and Tommy. She went inside and sat down at the table. She didn't eat much but she did finally eat.

"Do you want some chocolate ice cream for dessert?" Joyce asked her.

"No. Thank you." she said as she left the kitchen.

Tommy got up and said, "I can't stand seeing her like this."

"Leave her alone, man." John said.

Tommy followed her into her room. He stood in the doorway. She climbed up on the bed and curled up facing the window.

"Are you ok?" Tommy asked.

"I'm fine." she said.

"You're not acting like you're fine." he said.

"I'm fine, Tommy." she snapped.

He walked into the room and around to the other side of the bed. He stood there looking at her. She was crying again.

"You're not fine." Tommy said.

"No, I'm not fine. You and John are avoiding me like I've got the plague." she said. "Do you really expect me to be fine?" she asked.

"No, I guess not. I'm sorry." he said as he sat down on the bed. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

"Stop avoiding me. Talk to me. Stop walking around me like you don't want to be near me." she snapped again.

"Come here." he said.

He held her as she cried. She cried for awhile. When she stopped, he pulled away to look at her but she wouldn't let him go.

"Just hold me." she said.

"I've got you, babygirl." he said.

John was standing in the doorway watching them. He didn't say anything. He just stood there. She saw him standing there and she held out her hand to him. He walked in and climbed on the bed. She wrapped her other arm around him and hugged him tightly.

"I think she loves us both." John said.

"She needs us, too." Tommy said. "Leaving her alone was the wrong thing to do."

"I see that now. I just wanted to give her some space." John said.

"Yeah, and it made her feel worse." Tommy said.

"I can hear you." she said. "I'm right here."

They laughed and both of them apologized. She forgave them both.

"Jerks." she said.

"She's feeling better." John said.

"Yeah." Tommy said.

"Are you ever going to let us go?" John asked.

"Nope. You're both staying here like this forever." she laughed.

"She's fine. Come on." John said.

Shelby didn't let either one of them go though. She needed to know they still cared about her.